26/11/2009: Chair announced for Living with Environmental Change Business Advisory Board

Colin Drummond, Chief Executive of Viridor, Executive Director of Pennon Group plc and Chair of Environmental Sustainability Knowledge Transfer Network, has accepted the position of Chair of the Living with Environmental Change programme’s new Business Advisory Board.

Living with Environmental Change is an unprecedented partnership of UK research and policy-making organisations, with a commitment of £1 Billion of funding over 10 years. Since the programme began in 2007, over £450 million has been committed towards environmental change research programmes.

The Business Advisory Board will help to ensure that the UK will get the full economic benefits from this major government investment, by providing strategic business input and advice on how to achieve the greatest impact from current and future activities.

Colin Drummond says: ‘The Government’s £1 Billion Living with Environmental Change programme is a major commitment to the Green Economy. Changes in the environment present great challenges but also huge opportunities for UK industry. I am delighted to accept the position of Chairman of the Business Advisory Board and look forward to assisting in maximising the UK’s competitive advantage as we react to the challenges of environmental change.’

Iain Gray, Chief Executive of the Technology Strategy Board one of the Living with Environmental Change member organisations, says: ‘This is an important and significant step forward for Living with Environmental Change. Many of the programme’s objectives will be met through business engagement and it is important that we encourage and invite business to take part in a movement towards a low carbon economy. Every single member organisation understands that while much can be done to mitigate climate change, we all have a responsibility to help society and the economy to adapt to it. The work of the Business Advisory Board will be an important contribution towards the preparation work that needs to be done to enable this adaptation to take place.’

Professor Andrew Watkinson, Director of the Living with Environmental Change programme, says: ‘The Business Advisory Board will help Living with Environmental Change deliver its vision of providing business with the foresight required to take up the opportunities presented by the need to adapt to and mitigate upcoming environmental changes.’

Contact details:
For more information please contact
Ruth Welters, Living with Environmental Change Communications Specialist
01603 593906
ruth.welters@lwec.org.uk

Download the full press release here